Android launchers

In Short

Custom launchers — apps that replace the home screens, app drawers and (sometimes) widgets on our Android phones and tablets — have long been popular amongst the Android faithful.

Custom launchers — apps that replace the home screens, app drawers and (sometimes) widgets on our Android phones and tablets — have long been popular amongst the Android faithful. Chances are you can find a launcher with exactly the features you want to make your Android look and act just the way you want it to look and act. Google shares the code for a good, albeit basic, launcher with everyone. The big names in the business, companies like Samsung or LG or HTC, can use what they want and add to it, or replace any part to make something they think is better. And so can the third-party developers out there, as well as "hobbyist" developers. And there are plenty of smart folks who are doing it.

Here you'll find links to popular third-party launchers you can download direct from Google Play. We highly recommend you dive in and give things a try!

26 July 2015109By Jerry HildenbrandBeing able to replace the launcher on your phone is a pretty powerful thing. The way you get to the things you want (and need) to do with your phone can make a difference in how, and how often, you're using it, and each and every one of us will do things differently. See how we do it!

22 July 2015250By Jerry HildenbrandIf you want to customize the your phone within an inch of its life but don't want to mess with ROMs or anything that could actually break things, Nova Launcher probably is the best thing that you could have ever hoped for.

21 July 201591By Alex DobieThe Google Now Launcher comes pre-loaded on recent Nexus phones and tablets, but it's also available as a free download on the Play Store for most modern Android devices. So what's the Google Now Launcher got going for it in 2015? Read on to find out.

12 July 2015124By Jerry HildenbrandCustom launchers — apps that replace the home screens, app drawers and (sometimes) widgets on our Android phones and tablets — have long been popular amongst the Android faithful. The poll results from the past week show just how popular.

11 September 2017157By Ara WagonerWant to give your Android phone a new look with minimal effort? How about trying out a new launcher? If that sounds like something for you, we've rounded up the very best there is.

13 December 20165By Daniel BaderMore great stuff from Action Launcher.
Action Launcher, our favorite Android launcher replacement, has received its monthly update, and while December's isn't quite as noteworthy as some in the past, it's still got a bunch of great additions...

19 January 201645By Ara WagonerIcons ... Every app has one. Not all of them look good. Not all of them follow the same design guidelines. Not all of them match your theme. Here’s how to do something about that.

15 January 2016139By Ara WagonerThere’s a lot of launchers out there, all vying for one screen of real estate: your home screen. And while launchers can be geared towards productivity, towards a specific UI, but today we’re looking at launchers geared towards theming.

26 July 2015109By Jerry HildenbrandBeing able to replace the launcher on your phone is a pretty powerful thing. The way you get to the things you want (and need) to do with your phone can make a difference in how, and how often, you're using it, and each and every one of us will do things differently. See how we do it!

22 July 2015250By Jerry HildenbrandIf you want to customize the your phone within an inch of its life but don't want to mess with ROMs or anything that could actually break things, Nova Launcher probably is the best thing that you could have ever hoped for.

21 July 201591By Alex DobieThe Google Now Launcher comes pre-loaded on recent Nexus phones and tablets, but it's also available as a free download on the Play Store for most modern Android devices. So what's the Google Now Launcher got going for it in 2015? Read on to find out.

12 July 2015124By Jerry HildenbrandCustom launchers — apps that replace the home screens, app drawers and (sometimes) widgets on our Android phones and tablets — have long been popular amongst the Android faithful. The poll results from the past week show just how popular.